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extraordinary affair was, if possible, greater than in the town. The queen herself was the only person whose magnanimity and resolution were not shaken by it. Sevesal of the ladies would even have fled the town immediately, had they not been overawed by the dignity which she displayed; but fear of her displeasure had still greater influence over them than fear of the ghost.

There was however one lady belonging to the court, on whom, from the peculiarity of her situation, the story had a very different effect from all the rest. This was a half-sister of count Molziewitz, who was one of the maids of honour constantly attending upon the queen's person, and was exceedingly beloved by her. For her brother, the count, she had all the respect of a daughter, and all the affection of a sister. The count was the only child of his father's first marriage, and was above twenty years older than either his sister, the lady Frederica, or a brother who was also the offspring of his father's second marriage. These two young peo

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ple, being left orphans at a very tender age, the count had been a father to them, and deserved all the love and respect his sister bore him. She was now in her twenty-first year, in the full bloom of youth and beauty, and among all the ladies about the court was the only one who, for loveliness of countenance and elegance of form, could be placed in any competition with the allenchanting and fascinating queen.

To this young creature the news of her brother's death was, as every one must immediately conceive, a most heart-rending stroke. But when the rumour reached her that his spirit had been seen in Presburg, even before his death was known there, such an effect was produced on her mind that she became little less than a maniac. She vowed that she would watch in the evening with the officers; and if her brother's form should appear, would hang upon him, and never leave him till he had revealed the cause which made him wander thus, and imparted to her what could be done to procure

him rest in the tomb. Then, she said, though she were prescribed to walk barefoot to the remotest corner of the globe, through burning sands or over ever-during ice, she would do it, and exult in such an opportunity to show that her gratitude and sisterly affection knew no bounds. So intent was she upon endeavouring to see her brother's spirit, that nothing but being detained by positive force could have prevented her rushing out to the inn as soon as the shades of evening began to come on. Baffled in this, she engaged count Lowenstein to come to her apartment the moment he quitted his watch, and let her know whether or not the phantom had appeared. In case it had, she charged him to give her the most minute detail of the scene; and above all she inculcated upon him to assure the incorporeal visitant that there was nothing she would not undertake to procure its repose.

But though this young lady was not permitted to join the watch in the great room, the general curiosity excited was such, that numbers of persons, both officers and inhabitants of the town made the utmost interest to be admitted to it; so that the assembly consisted of treble or perhaps four times the number of the evening before, while the striking of the midnight clock was expected with the most eager emotions of mingled awe, impatience, and curiosity.

At length it struck; every eye was turned towards the door, but the door opened not. A mute silence reigned among the company; one dead-one breathless expectation, which effectually precluded words, had seized upon them all. Five minutes passed, still the door remained closed: "He comes not," said count Lowenstein. But the general expectation was still too mighty for conversation to begin, and no answer was made for another five minutes. "He surely then will not come," said Kiezerhausen; which was followed by another five minutes of awful silence.

A quarter of an hour having now

elapsed, the company now began gradually to resume their self-possession, and the conversation by degress became brisk and animated. The ghost of Molziewitz was still, however, the sole theme; every one forming conjectures upon the subject according to the peculiar bent of his own mind. Probably they would all have been persuaded that the whole was a trick, but for the astonishing circumstance that count Molziewitz was really dead, and that when he was seen, his death was not known at Presburg. This appeared a circumstance sufficient to stagger the most incredulous. The conversation was continued for three hours beyond midnight, when all remaining quiet, they separated; no one, however, felt any inclination to occupy the chamber of poor Wingerode.

For three successive evenings did count Lowenstein keep the watch with the officers of the mess; and each night were they joined by different persons, all curious to see the termination of so singular an affair. For three days was the search after the absent Wingerode continued: but the searchings of the mornings and, the watchings of the evenings were alike fruitless;-no Molziewitz appeared,-no Wingerode was to be found; till at length the ghost was little more thought of, while the anxiety upon Wingerode's account constantly increased.

Among the company present at the phantom's visit was a young man by name Storkenheim. Though only twoand-twenty years of age, he was considered by his brother-officers as a persoof an uncommonly acute and penetrating mind, and he had a fund of acquired knowledge which would have done honour to one of double his years.This young man had, from the first of the affair, always observed a strict silence upon it. While every one else was busied in forming conjectures and putting them into circulation, he alone formed none; or if he did, they remained close prisoners in his own bo

som, nor were permitted the least egress from it. He had constantly attended the evening watchings, but it was with a mute attention; his thoughts upon the subject were still his own, and were never communicated. When sometimes his companions would address him, "Storkenheim, you do not give your opinion upon this most extraordinary affair?'tis impossible but you must have formed one-perhaps more ingenious than any other delivered,why then keep it to yourself?" If thus addressed, a shrug of the shoulders was his sole answer. Even when count Lowenstein evinced some anxiety to know his sentiments, the same significant gesture, accompanied by an air of something like contempt, seeming as if he would have said, had not decorum forbidden it, "I think you all a pack of fools;" this gesture was still all the answer that could be obtained.

The officers knew not what to understand by his silence, and Lowenstein was somewhat piqued to find that it was observed to him no less than to the rest. No one was more attentive in watching the door when the hour of expectation arrived, so that it was evident that his silence did not result from indifference about the thing; on the contrary, his eager and penetrating eye then spoke in the most unequivocal terms the strong interest by which his bosom was agitated: it was therefore unanimously agreed that there must be some secret motive for his silence which none of them could fathom. On the third evening of count Lowenstein's watch, his attention was much rather directed to Storkenheim than to the ghost; and when he left the company about three in the morning, after announcing that he should not join them any more, he took Kiezerhausen aside, and said, "It grieves me to suspect Storkenheim of lending his aid to any imposture, yet my heart assures me that he knows much more concerning this matter than he chooses to confess ;-how else account for his obstinate silence? Let

him be strictly watched: who can say what is even now passing in his mind? whether he may not be plotting in what way he can practise further upon your credulity:-therefore again I say, let him be strictly watched."

Seven nights had now passed since the first appearance of the ghost, and nothing more had been seen of him: so that the strong impression made was much diminished, and the speculations upon it were nearly exhausted. On the eighth, at the last stroke of the midnight clock, the door once more opened, and a figure stalked in, not as before arrayed in all the splendour of a full-dressed uniform, but mournfully wrapped in its complete funeral cerements. eyes, as before, were bent to the ground, and it marched with slow and measured steps towards the opposite door." Who art thou?" exclaimed Kiezerhausen, "Speak-answer us directly! or"

Its

The phantom now raised his eyes, and turned his face full to the company: still they were the features of Molziewitz ;-but of Molziewitz come from the tomb, a pale and ghastly corse. He stopped, he raised his right hand, pointing it upwards, when a voice was instantly heard, as if it came from the vaulted roof of the chamber, "Touch him not, nor attempt to follow him, lest you damn yourselves and him to all eternity." Fresh consternation instantly seized the whole company; they remained motionless and petrified, while the spectre passed on, and made its exit, as before, into the chamber.

Storkenheim alone, from the first entrance of the figure, exhibited no symptoms of fear or consternation, but starting from his feet observed him attentively. He remained wholly unappalled by the voice, and in defiance of the strict injunction and warning given, prepared to follow him as he advanced

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towards the door of his retreat. kenthal seized his arm: "What are you about, Storkenheim?" he said: "can you be guilty of such presumption as to think of following the phantom?"

-"I shall say with the phantom, Touch me not,'" said Storkenheim; and bursting away, he snatched up a candle, and followed the ghost, entering the chamber within a few seconds after him.

The only sensation now experienced by the whole party was that of petrified astonishment, not less at the awful vision they had seen and denunciation they had heard, than at the daring act of Storkenheim, which appeared to them equally mad and profane. They looked earnestly at each other, and seemed to wait with silent awe the stroke of thunder by which his presumption was to be punished. But the thunder came not: and after the lapse of about an hour he returned from the chamber in perfect calmness and composure, resuming his seat among the company.

The eyes of all were now turned upon him, as if in the certainty that his silence could be maintained no longer that he must speak; that even reserve like his could not restrain his tongue, but that it must give utterance to all the wonders he had witnessed. They were mistaken: he still preserved the same silence, till at length Kiezerhausen, unable to command his impatience, said, "This is absolute cruelty, Storkenheim, -is your breast wholly insensible to any feelings for others, that you can keep so many persons on the rack?must my feelings, above all, be thus sported with? You know my regard for Molziewitz, and if not marble yourself, must be aware of the anxiety by which I am racked to learn the reason why his spirit wanders thus.-SpeakAm I to be satisfied ?"

"Be satisfied as to your friend," answered Storkenheim ; "be satisfied as to yourself; no one has any cause for fear, provided the injunction you have received be strictly obeyed in case the phantom should appear again. Let this suffice; ask me no more questions, I cannot answer them."

"May we not ask whether this figure

we have seen is really the spirit of Mol ziewitz?"

"I have told you that I cannot answer any questions.-Good night, I advise you all to go quietly to your chambers, as I shall go to mine." So saying, he left the room.

Curiosity being now a more active principle in the minds of the company than any fear of an encounter with the ghost, Kiezerhausen and Zinzendorf followed him at a distance. His chamber was near the other end of a long corridor; they saw him go quietly into it, and heard him lock the door; they stole gently up to it and listened: they heard him awhile walking about the room as if undressing, carelessly whistling and singing all the time, and at length heard him throw himself upon the bed, where he soon began to snore vociferously.

Satisfied that he really was gone to bed, and astonished at seeing him so perfectly easy and undisturbed, they returned to his companions and reported what they had witnessed. Whether they were now most occupied with the spectre or with the extraordinary conduct of Storkenheim, it is difficult to determine. Between them both so much matter for conversation was furnished, that again the day broke in upon them before they thought of separating for the night.

Kiezerhausen felt it an imperious duty to repair the next morning in the first place to the apartments of count Lowenstein in the palace, and make him acquainted with the awe-inspiring tale. If the particulars were related by him with no little degree of emotion, it was with still greater that the count listened to him. He walked up and down the room with a hurried and agitated step: "What can be thought of all this?" he exclaimed eagerly, "what can be done under circumstances so embarrassing?—I scarcely dare carry my surmises to the effect which may be produced if this strange phenomenon continues ;-for phenomenon it must

be called, whether the appearance be superhuman or not. The impression made at court, and throughout the whole town, by the phantom's first intrusion, was such, that I tremble for the consequence of the second. Our magnanimous queen was then the single person about the court whose soul seemed to remain unshaken; a general terror seized all the ladies in her train; it was with difficulty they were restrained from flying the town; and now I firmly believe that nothing but chains will retain them in it. Nay, the terror throughout the town is so great, that there is but too much reason to apprehend its being wholly deserted, and this in a moment when perhaps the safety of the great public cause depends on the firmness and resolution shown not only by our gallant troops but by the town at large.

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regret exceedingly that I did not continue my watchings with you; I think I might have obtained some clue to assist our investigation in the matter." All this he said, continuing to pace up and down the room with hurried and agitated steps.

"Your excellency will pardon me," said Kiezerhausen, "count Lowensteins's courage has often been displayed in a manner so distinguished that it cannot be doubted by any one. I challenge any person to feel this truth more forcibly than I do; yet I know not how to persuade myself, if you had been with. us, but that even your fortitude would have been shaken in beholding the ghastly and death-like appearance of the phantom, in witnessing the solemnity of the action when its hand was raised towards heaven, and in hearing the awful sound of the voice that succeeded."

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if possible, than the appearance of the phantom."

"Let him be sent for; I will question him myself, and try whether any means can be devised for compelling him to break this obstinate silence."

"Grant Heaven that you may find it: possible to make him speak!-With your excellency's approbation I will go. myself and seek him."

"You will oblige me much."

Kiezerhausen hastened back to the inn: it was yet early in the morning, and he found Storkenheim but just completing his toilet. He imparted count Lowenstein's wish to see him upon the adventures of the preceding evening. "I will wait upon the commander with pleasure," said Storkenheim.

"Shall I stop and accompany you?" said Kiezerhausen.

"As you please," answered the other.

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Kiezerhausen stopped: Storkenheim was soon ready, and they went together to count Lowenstein. He was still: pacing up and down the room with a hurried and agitated step; Kiezerhau sen's countenance was expressive of the utmost anxiety-Storkenheim alone was perfectly calm and composed.

Count Lowenstein immediately began: "Captain Storkenheim, I do not now make it my request that you will disclose all you know concerning this mysterious affair; as your commanding officer I lay my injunction upon you. immediately to unravel the mysteryfor this it is obvious you can do—or dread the effects of your contumacy. It is of importance to the public welfare that the truth should be known, and means shall be found to arrive at it."

"I am perfectly ready," replied Storkenheim, "to acknowledge the submission due from me as an inferior officer to your excellency as my commander, in all matters connected with military discipline; but since I must conceive the affair in question to be of a nature wholly irrelevant to any mili

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